The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 21, 1979, Page Page 12, Image 12
Debut of
mysterious
By Lehman Stiles Strang'
Assistant Entertainment Editor Straits' (1
What would you get if Bob Dylan you think
set T.S. Eliot's poems to music? It the main
would probably sound something comes a
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Group names are usually you hear
pathetically unindicative of the somethir
nature of the group itself. Who something
could tell from the name "Beatles" identity y<
that there was anything special The n
about the Liverpool Four? Just stereotyp<
what does "Yes" mean, anyway? distinctivi
Well, in the case of Dire Straits, the some resu
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one gets from hearing this group: a passed ov<
confused, frightening atmosphere darkness
of being stranded in a strange loves unn
place with little hope of rescue. than hate.
FEBRUARY
23 Chuck Mangione
25 Parliament, Funkadelic
28 J. Geils Band, Fabulous Poodles
MARCH
3 Elvis Co3tello & the Attractions
8 GinoVannelli
9 Kenny Rodgers
12 Styx.Anael
14 RedSkelton
17 Liza Minnelli (two shows)
21 Natalie Cole
23 Lettermen
23 Bar-Kays
24 Barry White
24 Natalie Cole
29 Cheech & Chong
^^ ^y.llyJoel
KfjJIIu^
: Dire Strait:
but promis
eness typifies Dire something being t
lebut album. Just when the notes and woi
that you've discovered that deperately war
thrust of the songs,here The driving fore
inomer variation that Straits is the sibling
t the pattern. The sound and David Knopflei
on this record is of sings and plays lea(
ig being born, of and David plays i
; that is unsure of its own They are joined by
gt. bass and Pick Wit!
lusic refuses to be Technically the groi
2d; it creates its own but certainly not v
e categories. It is like primary positive c
irrected ghost of the past, creation of a clau
lutionary step that was timate musica! atm
er in confusion. It talks of contributes furt
and deserted places, of mysterious ambigui
jalized and more painful The Ivrics remin
There is the sensation of ("Near misses or
^a stairways, French
' darkened doorway
blowing out wild an*
convey the same si
century desperatit
2n flBIfl} [2SI fij obviously felt so dee
the rather
ception: the only coi
is the fact that we
somewhere else
.. Savannah Civic Center again; last night I f
Omni, Atlanta Ri8ht now rm si<*
... Fox Theatre, Atlanta l'm g?*ngt? keep on
Side one opens wit
waiernne, a sudik
the sexual prompt
Agora Ballroom, Atlanta never completely s
.... Charlotte Coliseum human mind. The be
.... Charlotte Coliseum one 's "Water of L
.. Jacksonville Coliseum metaphorical piece
Carolina Coliseum chorus.
... Fox Theatre, Atlanta "Setting Me Up" i
Carolina Coliseum Knife" are both al
Township plicable cruelty of
..... Carolina Coliseum about the mal<
Omni, Atlanta assignation of his t
.. Greensboro Coliseum ^e hands of
.. Greensboro Coliseum whom he is most vi
T^^Carolina Coliseum one closes with
Again," which sum*
our modern fascinat
WBBGBBBEMI
rapped behind jm -*** *%. ~
"ds, something K "WSBEB '~ ^
its its freedom, r r ^
e behind Dire \ i. ^
>team of Mark 3 H
r. Mark writes, gfef'*' - iJ F^Z
hythm guitar. ^^HK^^RJijHHHRBrai'1
John Illsley
lers on drums.
lp is competent H'; |E?|lip. l^|?p Mill .; W?
irtuostic; their
;lement is the ??SSEpi85^pli$B^iii|lll$
strophobic, inosphere,
which Blp|S|ii$SlBtt^Bi$?ISWS
her to the
ty of the lyrics.
d one of Eliot
i the dogleap
kisses in the on the road: "Southbound again; I
s, a foghorn don't know if I'm going or coming
d cold...") and home.."
ense of a 20th- The popular "Sultans of Swing"
>n that Eliot opens side two, a wonderfully
ply. Loneliness mysterious and subtle song about
than the ex- the resurrecting freedom and
isolation in life almost metaphysical power of
can always go music. Others may say they run
("Southbound things, the song suggests, others
elt like crying. may hold all the cards, but it is
; of living, but music that has the real power; all
trying"). the Fathers and Kings and Sultans
h "Down to the are in music, not in government
; expression of buildings.
ings that are "In the Gallery" is probably the
ubdued by the weakest song on the album, Dire
st song on side Straits' attempt to be socially
ove," a nicely significant that comes off as too
with a catchy blatant and forced. It seems to say
that modern art is a joke when
ind "Six-Blade compared to realism. It may have
^out the inex- a point that I'm missing, so it is
womanhood, either the worst or the best song on
js' illogical the album.
rust and faith "Wild West End," however, is
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ilnerable. Side the album, with some marvelously
"Southbound descriptive lyrics: "And my
: up succinctly conductress on the number
ion with being nineteen, she was a honey; pink
litor or Co-e
PERIENCE, PRESTH
pplications are now being
>r the (inrnot ft RlnrL a%AH
? -mmm. vrv W V8 I I
* period June 1, 1979 - Mi
APPLICATION
ble in the Student Media <
DEADLINE:
Friday, Feb. 23, 1979, ?
Student Media Offic
m. ' ~'ii4 'J>t^
w K^n|H
tnonnilc anH Hor>Ho oil ^l?<t" ...;*u
Ull U1I Vjr Willi
money ..." The song goes on to
decry and at the same time praise
the brutal reality of life without
illusion: "And a go-go dancing girl,
yes I saw her; the deejay he say
here's Mandy for ya. I feel alright
to see her, but she's paid to do that
stuff. She's dancin' high; I move on
by. The closeups can get rough
when you're walking in the wild
west end."
The album closes with "Lions,"
a snookv imnrP?cinnicti/> c/\r?r*
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questions the disappearance of the
individual. True to its form, the
album never lets up its barrage of
shaded meanings and powerful
images, a combination that graces
the songs with a feeling that is
more than the sum of its parts.
It is unclear just what Dire
Straits is indicative of: whether it
is the sound of the 1980s or merely
a last remnant of whatever happened
to music at the beginning of
this decade. Like a potentially
active volcano, Dire Straits is
worthy of attention, but the
question is whether their first
album is a promise or a warning.
iPik
l
ook |
anors i
5E & PAY * I
I accepted I
Worship for I
jy 31,1980. I
S: I
Office. RH 313 !:'3
i p.m. I
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